See the other side
“A game?” MJ snorted. “You gotta be kidding.”
“Sit down, Flash,” ordered Liz from the back of the room.
These people had no sense of fun.
“We have to do something to pass the time.” Flash explained because he thought it was obvious but apparently it wasn’t.
“It’s called our assignment.” Liz flapped her large biology packet in the air. As if that was getting done, yeah right.
“Yeah, okay. We could do that. Or we could play a game.”
Liz rolled her eyes. “What game?”
A grin spread across Flash’s face. “I’m so glad you asked.”
Everyone else turned their glares towards the girl, as if to say ‘thanks a lot for asking.’
“It’s a classic. You guys will love it.” Flash paused as he built the suspense, waggling his eyebrows playfully.
“I’m thinking, Truth or Dare.” He declared, watching the mix of reactions from his classmates.
“In what universe would I choose to play truth or dare with you?” Liz scoffed, crossing her arms.
Ned nodded in agreement, lazily looking back at his phone, no doubt playing some lame video game. Parker had his head resting on the desk as if he were about to fall asleep any second and MJ was drawing in that damn notebook again.
Flash wasn’t sure why, but something about the gesture made his blood boil.
Anger sizzled in Flash’s veins as he thought about how Parker basically ruined his Saturday, and his chances at taking his father’s car for a spin. He was supposed to go to the mall with Tiny this weekend and hit on some babes, but that plan has been shot to hell. All thanks to Peter.
But Flash had another plan. There had to be some sort of dirt he could find on Peter and this game was going to help with that. But first, he needed to get everyone involved. Starting with his biggest critic, Liz.
“What’s the matter, Liz? Scared of a little game?”
“Of course not. It’s just... I don’t need to be playing it with you.”
“Now what on earth is that supposed to mean?”
“You know... you’re you, and I’m me.”
“Liz, I’m hurt.” Flash placed a hand over his heart, fake pain written on his face. “You mean you don’t like me?”
Liz shifted uncomfortably. “Well - I mean - you hang out with your crowd and I hang out with mine. That’s all.”
“Oh I see. So you’re scared.”
“No. I’m just -“
“You’re scared of me, because I’m a reckless popular dude, and you’re afraid I’ll make you do something crazy or embarrassing and it might ruin your chance at being popular too.”
“No! I just don’t think I should have to subject myself to something possibly embarrassing-“
“I knew it.”
“ - for no good reason.”
“Liz is a coward, what about you, Parker? Are you willing to play?”
Every ounce of tiredness left Peter’s body in that moment; he was wide awake as he considered the situation carefully.
“I don’t know...”
“Oh come on. It will be fun.”
“I’ll do it.” MJ said from the back corner. That works.
“Perfect, anyone else?” Flash shrugged at the silence, “Okay, truth or dare?”
MJ looked to be weighing her options, like she was concocting a formula in her mind for the types of questions Flash might ask. At last, she replied with a dare.
“Lovely,” Flash beamed. “I dare you to break dance for thirty seconds.”
MJ rolled her eyes, but stood up. “Fine, but I need some music.”
Flash pulled out his phone, “You got it.”
Once it began playing, the room was filled with a smooth sensual beat. MJ glared, while the rest of the kids giggled at the sexy song Flash had on his phone.
“I do not want to know why you listen to that,” Liz chuckled.
Following the beat, MJ began moving and swaying her body. It was as if she was a secret hula dancer that did professional gigs on the side. Her skills were breathtaking as her dance move manifested before her peers eyes. The tempo increased and so did her movements.
Holy shit, MJ could dance.
Her hips and legs grooved to the music, and she ended with a perfect spin.
She was laughing when she sat down. But everyone else was clapping and whooping so she stood up and did a bow. Normally this girl was so awkward and shy, Flash rarely saw her face out of a book. But that dance made her look like a whole new person.
“Where the hell did you learn to dance like that?” He asked.
MJ shrugged. “I was forced to take dance classes. It’s your turn.”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll go with dare as well.” Flash said not nervous at all.
“I dare you to do a hundred pushups,” Ned said.
“Ah, ah, ah.” Flash smirked, “Only people playing the game can create the dares. MJ, it’s your call.”
The girl smirked, “Nah, it’s okay, Ned. I got something better. I dare you to serenade Peter.”
Peter raised his eyebrows wryly.
“While doing a strip tease.”
Ned burst out laughing, Liz joining in seconds later. Peter looked at MJ as if he was trying to figure out how he wronged her. Meanwhile Flash was trying to keep his fists at his side. Congratulations, MJ, you made it on my shit list. Flash was totally getting revenge on her as well.
“Nobody wants to see this,” Flash said as he walked in front of Peter.
“Oh I agree,” Peter chimed in, “I don’t need this burned in my eyes.”
Flash shook his head, but decided that getting into it would be the best route to take. He waltzed over to where Peter was sitting and unfastened the first button near the collar of his shirt.
“Oh God,” Peter half gagged, half laughed, face burning red as he slouched in his seat. Everyone else was cracking up, but nothing could prepare them for the moment Flash started singing.
“Baby you light up my world like nobody else, the way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed.” Flash’s shirt was now half open, meanwhile Ned and MJ were on the floor laughing until they were crying.
“And when you smile at the ground it ain’t hard to tell. You don’t know -oh-oh. You don’t know you’re beautiful.”
Flash collapsed into laughter, while Peter threw his face in his hands, mumbling “why me.” But he was smiling too, Flash could hear it in his voice.
“Oh man, that was good.” MJ chuckled as Flash took a seat in front of her.
“See. I told you it would be fun.” He said. “Does anyone else want to participate now?”
“I kinda feel like I already have.” Peter muttered.
“Oh you loved it, Parker.” Flash teased, giving him a wink.
“My goal of making him blush for the day has been achieved.” MJ whispered, checking something off in her notebook.
“I’ll play.” Ned said, a big smile on his face.
“Okay, truth or dare?” Flash asked, still hoping he could get some dirt on Peter but he was actually enjoying the game more than he thought he would.
“Dare, I guess.”
Flash nodded, surprised that no one was choosing truth yet.
“Okay, I dare you to...” he had to think of something quick. “Change my Chemistry grade.”
There was a gasp from both Peter and Ned. You would have thought he asked them to kill an animal the way they were looking. Jeez, lighten up.
“He can’t do that?” Peter said hoarsely.
“Why not? It’s a dare. He has no choice.”
“It’s illegal to change your grade. It’s called academic dishonesty. He could get suspended, or worse, arrested.”
“Arrested for changing a grade?”
“Yeah, and for breaching the computer system. He can’t do this. Choose another dare.”
“He won’t get arrested if he doesn’t get caught,” Flash countered, smirk dancing on his lips. Parker was not amused.
“He’s shouldn’t have to risk it!”
“It’s okay, Peter. I can do it.” Ned said quietly.
“Ned, don’t be stupid. Just because you can, doesn't mean you have too.”
“I know. But I don’t mind. It’s kinda fun risking things from behind the scenes. It’s like I’m ‘the guy in the chair,’ you know? Like every superhero in my video game has a guy in the chair. And that can be me.”
“Yo loser, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you shouldn’t do this.” MJ said, backing Peter’s point.
“Don’t worry guys, I’m 96% sure I won’t get caught.” Ned said, while opening his laptop.
“Oh my God.” Liz mumbled, looking to the ceiling tile, “This is so stupid.”
“Why 96?” MJ asked.
“Dude, what if Coach Murch comes back. Just stop.” Peter pleaded, but Ned was beginning to hack into the school’s system. Numbers and letters and codes were everywhere.
It took a while, but Ned managed to complete the task without getting caught. By the time he was finished, the whole group was gathered around his desk, watching him carefully.
“So you just type that code and it will change the grade?”
“It should.” Ned said, fingers flying off the keys. At last, the Chemistry grade changed from a B to an A.
“You did it!” Flash clasped Ned’s shoulder, shaking him slightly. “I’m super impressed man!”
“Yeah congratulations. You just committed a felony.” Peter said, rolling his eyes as he walked back to his seat.
“Don’t listen to him, Ned. I thought it was sick.” Flash said, patting his back for the second time.
“Come on, guys. Let’s keep playing.” Liz grinned sheepishly, and Flash was satisfied that more people were willing to participate.
“All right, truth or dare, Miss Allan.”
“Um... truth.”
“Ah, being different are we?”
“Well someone has to do truth.”
“Okay, let me think.” Flash rubbed a finger over his stubble of facial hair.
“I got one.” Ned exclaimed.
“Okay, go for it, tubby.” Flash patted his shoulder again. Ned raised his eyebrows with the insult, but Flash was grinning and encouraging him to continue.
“Right. So Liz. Do you have a crush on anyone in here?”
“What? Um.” Her cheeks turned a scarlet red. “No.”
“Really?” Flash teased. “Cause I’m kinda amazing.”
Liz paused. Her lips were parted like she wanted to say something but was trying to choose the right words.
“I don’t really have time to think about that stuff.”
“About crushes?”
“Yeah.” She whispered, waves of discomfort flowing from her body language. This was difficult for her to discuss. But Flash couldn’t understand why. Liz was beautiful, smart, nice and popular. She shouldn’t be so self-conscious. But she was acting like Peter with her nervous mumbling.
“Is that so weird? I’m just focused on school and stuff. I don’t like getting caught up in all the gossip despite what you might think.” Liz explained, flustered.
“It’s not weird at all.” MJ remarked. “It’s actually kinda cool.”
Flash took a moment to sort through his tangled thoughts. MJ and Liz didn’t exactly get along, so watching them defend one another was really weird.
“Thank you, MJ. It’s my turn now. So, Ned, truth or dare?”
Taking a dare from Liz might be dangerous. She had that glint in her eye like she might ask him to run naked through the halls.
“Truth please.”
Apparently Ned was thinking the same thing. Flash clasped him on the back once more, congratulating him on making the smart choice. A truth was better than a dare when it came from an angry girl by far.
“Have you ever cried in school before?”
Ouch. Maybe a dare would have been the better choice?
Ned shrugged calmly, “Yeah, I have. Who hasn’t?”
“Good point.” MJ mumbled.
“I haven’t.” Flash exclaimed, shocked. What was wrong with these people?
“I bet you have cried because of school though. Right?” Liz asked, and Flash shrugged.
“It’s not my turn, not my truth to tell.” He said before turning back to Ned. “When did you cry at school?”
Ned ducked his head, “After you called me a fat Oompa Loompa, I sorta hid in the bathroom instead of going to lunch and yeah... you know... I let some emotions out.”
“Oh so That’s where you went.” Peter whispered.
Flash blinked owlishly at Ned, caught off guard by the immediate accusation.
“I made you cry?”
“Don’t sound so surprised.” MJ muttered. “You bully everyone. How do you think they react?”
Flash grimaced. He deserved that, he supposed. But he never meant to cause any serious harm. It was meant to be funny. Everyone on the football team laughed whenever he made those types of jokes. Come on, who takes ‘Fat Oompa Loompa’ seriously? But here was Ned saying that Flash hurt him. Hurt him in the same way Flash’s father hurt him.
He only wanted to be funny. But then again, that’s what his father says whenever he makes an insult.
Are you going to sit on that couch all day and watch TV, you lazy bum.
It’s my only day off, Dad. Besides, I did all of my homework.
I’m just kidding. Learn to take a joke.
But it wasn’t funny. It definitely wasn’t funny when it happened everyday. Similar to how often he made fun of Ned. Could Flash really be acting like his father?
“I’m sorry.” He said, finally. It wasn’t enough of an apology for making Ned cry, but it was all he could manage for now with his racing, jumbled thoughts. “I’m really sorry.”
Ned shrugged, offering Flash a small smile. “Hey man, thanks and all. But I’m fine. I was just feeling a little low that day.”
Now that was another thing Flash could relate to. He had plenty of days where he felt sad or depressed with the world. High-school was great at one thing, and that was dampening moods. But it wasn’t entirely school that made him feel so upset. Sometimes things at home were bad, and Flash brought it with him to school. He just never thought of how his coping methods could affect other people. Maybe Ned was going through some stuff at home too.
“I’m sorry.”
“Now you sound like Peter, always apologizing.” MJ laughed.
“I think it’s a miracle, Flash Thompson actually apologized.” Liz giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.
Flash was about to respond, when out of the corner of his eye he spotted Coach Murch walking down the hall.
“Shit! Murch is coming.” Flash shouted, as everyone snapped their heads forward, flipping to a random page in their biology packets.
When Coach Murch walked in, he scanned the room suspiciously. After last time, Flash couldn’t blame him for being overly cautious. After all, they did get in a fight. That was Flash’s fault too. He just gets so angry sometimes, it’s scary.
But this time, there was nothing for Coach to catch. No fights, no drama, just a few kids talking about life.
Football practice must have been over because Coach Murch stayed in the room for the remainder of the day. Needless to say the rest of the day dragged on, but for a short while, Flash actually had fun. So yeah, maybe he didn’t get any dirt on Peter, but he didn’t care. Flash had a good time, and that was worth more to him than anything else.
Besides he learned something today. He was hurting people with his jokes. So even though he was angry with the world, Flash wasn’t going to hurt anyone.
He didn’t want to hurt anyone ever again.